First Moment
by Dimonite
Summary: Light Warden x Morrigan fluff, taking place sometime between Witch Hunt and Inquisition. Rated at a cautious T for some slight innuendo.


It had nearly been too long. Morrigan, of course, knew better by now than to be concerned for her beloved's welfare. There was hardly a force in all of Thedas that could so much as delay her Warden from coming home to her, and to their son. This she still remembered from when she had tried to leave him behind – and failed, although she hardly regretted this failure. The mabari her love had insisted on keeping looked up at her and whined slightly.

"Do not look to me for commiseration, beast," she said, scowling. "I do not need him for company any more than I need you. Which is why he should have taken _you_ with him to visit the king, rather than our son."

The mabari barked at her, clearly not believing a word she said. The animal shared that infuriating quality with her Warden. Then – a feeling of familiar magic, and a boy's laughter. Kieran and his father were home, and Morrigan went to greet them at the door.

"So, did you have a good time at uncle-king Alistair's castle? Or were you forced to actually speak to the man?"

"He's nice, mother," Kieran said. "But he's afraid of me, just a little. Of what I might grow up to be."

"Whatever else you may grow up to be," said the Warden, his hand on Kieran's shoulder, "you will be my son. And your uncle Alistair will still love you for that."

"He will, at least, if he does not have to smell you." Morrigan smiled, her nose crinkling at her son. "Did he take you to the kennels again? Go upstairs and bathe, child."

As Kieran obediently trudged upstairs, Morrigan greeted her love with a kiss.

"Next time, I may just come along with you," she said. "I would enjoy frightening the King of Ferelden. It would be much like the day we first met."

"Speaking of that day, Alistair was asking some questions about our relationship – "

"Did he ask you what we were doing during all those nights we spent together in my tent? Truly, he _is_ old enough to know, although I would not relish the task of explaining it to him."

"He wanted to know when we first realized we were in love. Something about a best man speech that he was never going to get to give."

"Oh? And what did you say to him? Something about the foolishness of wedding ceremonies, I hope."

"I told him that I loved you from the moment I first saw you in the wilds. You stalked in behind us, took us to task for our mere presence, and had Alistair and Daveth quaking in their boots. It made quite an impression."

"Did I cut so imposing a figure? Or was it, perhaps, my figure that impressed you?"

Her love laughed – he laughed often, these days – and slipped an arm around her waist.

"It was some of both, I'm sure. But it had me thinking, and wondering … when did you first fall in love with me? I remember us talking about love making people weak and foolish –" He and Morrigan both smiled at this, thinking of the strength and determination that their love for each other and their son had brought them "– but I don't know when you first succumbed to this weakness yourself."

Morrigan paused for a moment before speaking.

"I will tell you what you wish to know, on the condition that you never breathe a word of it to another living soul, be it man, or spirit or –" she glared at their mabari, who decided to go up the stairs to Kieran "– beast. Would this arrangement satisfy you?"

"Of course, of course. I wouldn't dream of telling anyone that you had feelings. They'd laugh at me."

"Hush. When I first realized I loved you … you were in the Deep roads. You took Sten, Wynne, and Oghren with you, and left Leliana, Alistair and I behind with your dog. Purely practical choices, and I admired them at the time, but while waiting for your return, I found myself growing … concerned. I had felt such worry before, but you had always had Alistair by your side. I convinced myself that I needed Grey Wardens to defeat the Archdemon, that my fears were nothing more than practical. But even with a Grey Warden snoring in the middle of our campsite, I was unable to sleep. I spent hours gazing into the golden mirror you had given me, half-dreaming that I might catch a glimpse of you through it by some unknown magic. 'Twas foolish, I know, a thought more worthy of the little girl who first held such a mirror than of the woman I saw gazing back at me. But I wished it, nevertheless. And before you mock me with this, remember that the mirror was not the first gift you had given me. I found myself surrounded by reminders of you – a necklace, or a bracelet, or even the pantaloons you gave me as a joke after your dog found them in the woods. And it was then that I realized that despite the stupidity and danger of it … I did love you."

"Is this why you gave me that tracking ring as soon as we came back?"

"It may have contributed. I had planned to give you the ring before, but worried what you might make of the implications. I was correct on that count, at least. But I … no longer cared. Make of that what you will, I –"

The Hero of Ferelden interrupted her with a kiss.

"I love you too, Morrigan. Never doubt that, and please, never forget it."

Not long afterwards, their mabari came back down the stairs, and barked softly twice. Morrigan smiled.

"'Twould seem, my love, that our canine nursemaid has already put Kieran to bed. Might I suggest that we make our way to our own bed? It may well be … much warmer there than 'tis here."

"Lead the way, Morrigan."


End file.
